London: AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has warned the owners of his former club Manchester City not to sack boss Roberto Mancini since he is admired by every player in the team’s dressing room.

The heat is on boss Mancini after City’s woeful Champions League knockout and the crumbling defence of their Premier League title, the Sun reports.

The former Etihad striker has said that there is no one better suited for the role of City’s manager than Mancini, and added that all the players like him.

Stating that Mancini is more a friend than a coach for City players, Balotelli focused on the success engineered by Mancini for City.

The controversial football player said that Mancini should be given more time at the club by its billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour. Balotelli left City for Italian giants AC Milan for 19 million pounds last month.